Vibrator with resilience

ABSTRACT

A vibrator with resilience comprised of two or more spring leafs which are jointed between a base and a bearing object, in which the respective leaf spring folds at connecting ends are parallely disposed to each other, the joint form of which might be triangle or parallelogram etc., and various completed configurations deriving from foregoing basic forms are available according to acquirement. The advantage of said vibrator is its handy structure, lower cost and easy maintenance, which can be widely used as a damper in the cases of suitable vibration scope.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a device, which, under the influence ofa restoration force, undergoes an oscillatory or vibration motion. The“oscillatory motion” here is well defined but may be irregular in time,such as those found in shock absorbing systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Various kinds of shock-absorbing devices used in vehiclesgenerally include a bearing (37) and a spring system (38), in which mostof the shock-absorbing objects such as wheel axles (8) make up-and-downmovements around the bearing axis with the help of springs thusrealizing the aim of shock absorption. FIG. 1 illustrates ashock-absorbing device for the rear wheel of a bicycle. Theseshock-absorbing devices involve a lot of parts, resulting in high costs,heavy weights, bearing abrasion, inconvenient maintenance and highrequirements for rust prevention.

AIM OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The aim of this invention is to provide a vibrator withresilience that is of simple structure, low cost, convenientmaintenance, and without special rust prevention processes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] This invention comprises at least two leaf springs, both ends ofeach of which are connected separately to the base and the supportingmember, and the effective connecting edges thereof are parallel to oneanother.

[0005] In operation, the leaf springs will curve flexibly, allowing thesupporting member to make movements within a certain freedom of spacerelative to the base, so as to realize the aim of shock absorption oroscillation. As the invention is simple, light-weight, low-cost,convenient to maintain, and requiring no complicated rust preventionprocesses, it can be widely used in shock-absorbing systems forvehicles, planes, snowmobiles and saddles. It can also be used fordevices that need small angular or lateral oscillations. For example,the invention can be used for some optical mirrors, in which theresilience of the leaf springs can be configured according to differentneeds such as in resonance vibration so comparatively steadyoscillations can be induced by only a small periodic load.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006]FIG. 1 illustrates a shock-absorbing device currently used forbicycles;

[0007]FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of this invention;

[0008]FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of this invention;

[0009]FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of this invention;

[0010]FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of this invention;

[0011]FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of this invention;

[0012]FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of this invention;

[0013]FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of this invention;

[0014]FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment of this invention;

[0015]FIG. 10 illustrates application of this invention where it isarranged for front and rear wheel shafts and cushion;

[0016]FIG. 11 illustrates another form of application of this inventionwhere it is used on a saddle;

[0017]FIG. 12 illustrates another form of application of this inventionwhere it is used on a handlebar;

[0018]FIG. 13 illustrates a third form of application of this inventionwhere it is used on a saddle;

[0019]FIG. 14 illustrates application of this invention where it is usedfor an optic mirror for oscillating a beam over a certain angle;

[0020]FIG. 15 illustrates application of this invention where it is usedfor optic mirror for scanning a beam laterally.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Embodiment 1

[0022] As illustrated in FIG. 2 of this invention, both ends of the twoleaf springs 1 are secured separately to the base 2 and the supportingmember 3 by means of welding, the spring 1 and the base 2 forming astructural unit of triangle section 12, where the included angle betweentwo springs is preferred to be of 90°. Under the influence of externalforces, the springs will curve flexibly, so that the supporting member 3will rotate around the intersection 11 of the two leaf springs. As longas the leaf springs are not bent beyond the point of submission, theintersection point 11 becomes a center of rotation with restorationforces. Although there is no real physical axis here, the intersectingline 11 is a virtual axis of rotation, which, along with the leafsprings, forms a basic structure for shock-absorbing devices. Inpractical applications, a wheel shaft, etc. can be fixed directly ontothe supporting member, or, a fork can be fixed onto the supportingmember, and then connected to the wheel shaft. Of course, when thesprings 1, the base 2 and the supporting member 3 form a section oftriangular structure, it will have the same effect.

[0023] Embodiment 2

[0024] The springs 1 can be connected with the base 2 or the supportingmember 3 by corresponding coupling surfaces, such as tooth-to-toothcoupling, tooth-to-slot coupling, etc. Being pressed, these couplingsurfaces will have strong coupling and inter-locking effect. Forexample, the connection of the springs 1 with the base 2 and thesupporting member 3 can adopt the means shown in FIG. 3, where base 2and the supporting member 3 respectively have surfaces 21 and 31, withposition-limiting flanges 22 and 32 on both sides of surfaces 21 and 31respectively, and springs 1 have coupling surfaces 13 on them which areextending outwards and can be coupled with the position-limitingflanges, and they are pressed closely and secured with screws or bolts.

[0025] Embodiment 3

[0026] As shown in FIG. 4, two springs 1 along with the base 2, thesupporting member 3, form a structural unit of parallelogram section12′.

[0027] In order to distribute stress more evenly so that the stress willnot concentrate on portions of the leaf springs adjacent to thesupporting member, the springs are arranged in a form with differentwidths such as an echelon (or something like an echelon), in which thewider side of the spring 1 is connected to the supporting member 3 andthe smaller side in connected to base 2. A strengthening piece 35 canalso be added to the supporting member, or the thickness of the springadjacent to the supporting member can be increased as shown in FIG. 3.Of course, the same can also be applied to the connection between thesprings and the base. All of the above measures will increase thelifespan of this invention. Besides, additional springs 36 can bearranged for the system in order to give different flexural strengths asrequired, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0028] Embodiment 4

[0029] As shown in FIG. 5, each leaf spring can be pre-curved so as toincrease structural rigidity in the other 5 degrees of freedom whenloading straightens the spring. Other structures of this embodiment aresimilar to those in Embodiment 1.

[0030] The number of leaf springs shall of course not necessarily belimited to two. But they must be arranged so that their flexing will notinterfere with each other in operation. In practical applications,various complicated structures formed with structural unit 12 or 12′mentioned above can be adopted as in the following embodiments.

[0031] Embodiment 5

[0032] As shown in FIG. 6, there are two triangle structural units 12transversely paralleled on base 2; each spring 1 is connected to thesame supporting member 3 so as to increase rigidity of the wholestructure.

[0033] Embodiment 6

[0034] As shown in FIG. 7, base 2 is of two layers of coaxing cylinders,the supporting member 3 is the axis of the cylinders, and the springsare connected between the base 2 and the supporting member 3 inradiating form.

[0035] Embodiment 7

[0036] As shown in FIG. 8, two triangle structural units 12 are abuttedto form component 4 with one supporting member 3 and one of the bases 2becomes a mobile platform 2′. This kind of mobile platform has biggerturning range.

[0037] Embodiment 8

[0038]FIG. 9 is a more complicated structure, where the supportingmember 3 of the component 4 is in the shape of a rod, and there are twoparallel components 4 connecting base 2 and the mobile platform 2′, oneend of which is connected to working platform 5 through the triangularstructural units 12, and the working platform forms the base of thetriangle structural unit. In practical applications, working platform 5is the blade of the sled or snowmobile, and the base is the frame of thevehicle.

[0039] In the structure as shown in FIG. 9, there is another component4′ connecting the supporting member 3 of one of the components 4 and theworking platform 5. Component 4′ is parallel to the mobile platform 2′keeping the blade horizontal while absorbing vertical shocks.

[0040] In practical applications of this invention, the base 2 and thesupporting member 3 can be evolved into suitable and specificstructures. The following are examples of various shock-absorbingapplications of this invention in bicycles.

[0041] Embodiment 9

[0042]FIG. 10 illustrates an application of a triangular structural unit12 in bicycles, in which the bottom tube 6 of the frame is the base 2,one end of the fork 8 is connected to spring 1, and the other end to therear axle 9.

[0043] Embodiment 10

[0044] As shown in FIG. 10, the front axle 9′ is secured indirectly tothe traditional front fork 10 as the base and the level fork 8′ as thesupporting member, one end of which is connected to the spring system12′ and the other end is connected to front axis 9′. The same structurecan be used on one or both sides of the front wheel.

[0045] There are also many ways of shock absorption with the saddles.

[0046] Embodiment 11

[0047] As shown in FIG. 10, the bottom tube 6 of bicycle frame is usedas the base, cross bar 14 as the supporting member. Leaf springs 1 areconnected to one end of the cross bar and to the top of bottom tube.Cushion 15 is secured on cross bar 14.

[0048] Embodiment 12

[0049] As shown in FIG. 11, a connecting tube 16 is secured at the rearend of bottom tube 6 which extend backwards and used as the base. Crossbar 14 on which the cushion 15 is secured is the supporting member, andthe leaf springs are connected to the rear end of the cross bar and therear end of the connecting tube.

[0050] Embodiment 13

[0051]FIG. 12 illustrates another application of this invention, inwhich the triangular structural unit is used on a shock-absorbing handlebar, with the stem tube 17 serve as the base and the fixed tube 19 ofthe handlebar 18 as the supporting member. There is a position-limitingdevice on the tube 17, screw thread 7′ is matched withposition-adjusting nuts 20, which limits the range of travel of the endof the fixed tube 19, An overall shock-absorbing device is thusaccomplished.

[0052] Embodiment 14

[0053]FIG. 13 illustrates another application of this invention, inwhich the parallelogram structural unit 12′ is used for the saddle. Anoval tube 23 is secured on top of the bicycle frame in parallel withcushion tube 7; Leaf springs 1 is connected in parallel between the ovaltube 23 and saddle tube 7 so that the saddle has the effect of up anddown shock suspension.

[0054] Embodiment 15

[0055] As shown in FIG. 14, in the triangular structural unit 12, amirror 33 is secured on the supporting member 3, the intersecting point11 of the spring 1 is located on the reflecting surface of the mirror33, the vibration of the mirror can be controlled by a motor orresonance vibration, so that when the light beam is reflected from themirror, it will have an angular vibration.

[0056] Embodiment 16

[0057] As shown in FIG. 15, a parallelogram structural unit 12′ isadopted so that when the light beam 34 is reflected from the mirror, itwill have a lateral vibration:

[0058] In order to meet various practical requirements, as in manytraditional shock-absorbing systems, movement-limiting devices, dampingdevices, or other shock-absorbing devices can be added to this inventionfor better comfort or safety.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vibrator with resilience, characterized inthat, comprising at least two leaf springs (1), both ends of each of theleaf springs (1) are connected separately to the base (2) and thesupporting member (3), and the connecting edges thereof are parallel toone another.
 2. A vibrator with resilience according to claim 1,characterized in that, the leaf spring (1) are arranged in a form withdifferent widths such as an echelon.
 3. A vibrator with resilienceaccording to claim 1, characterized in that, the leaf springs (1) haslarger effective thickness adjacent to the base (2) or the supportingmember (3) than at other places.
 4. A vibrator with resilience accordingto claim 2, characterized in that, the spring (1) is slightly curved. 5.A vibrator with resilience according to claim 1, characterized in that,the springs (1) are connected with the base (2) or the supporting member(3) by way of pressing closely corresponding coupling surfaces.
 6. Avibrator with resilience according to claim 5, characterized in that,the base (2) or the supporting member (3) has a surface (21) or (31) onit, the extending coupling surface (13) on the spring (1) is coupledwith surface (21) or (31), and they are pressed closely and secured withscrews or bolts.
 7. A vibrator with resilience according to claim 6,characterized in that, the surface (21) or (31) has position-limitingflanges (22) or (32) on both sides, and the coupling surface of thespring is coupled with the surface of the position-limiting flanges. 8.A vibrator with resilience according to claim 1, characterized in that,the two springs (1) and the base (2) form a structural unit of trianglesection (12);
 9. A vibrator with resilience according to claim 1,characterized in that, the two springs (1) and the supporting member (3)form a structural unit of triangle section.
 10. A vibrator withresilience according to claim 8 and 9, characterized in that, theincluded angle of the two springs (1) is preferred to be of 90°.
 11. Avibrator with resilience according to claim 1, characterized in that,the spring (1), the base (2) and the supporting member (3) form astructural unit of a parallelogram (12) or a similarity of aparallelogram.
 12. A vibrator with resilience according to claim 8,characterized in that, on the base (2) there are two structural units(12) transversely in parallel with each other, and connected to the samesupporting member (3).
 13. A vibrator with resilience according to claim1, characterized in that, the base (2) is of one or more layers ofcoaxing cylinders with the supporting member (3) as the axis of thecoaxing cylinders, and the springs (1) are connected between the base(2) and the supporting member (3) in a radiating form.
 14. A vibratorwith resilience according to claim 8, characterized in that, a pair oftriangle structural units (12) are abutted to form a component (4),sharing one supporting member (3), and one of the bases (2) forming amobile platform (2′).
 15. A vibrator with resilience according to claim14, characterized in that, the supporting member is of rod shape andthere are two parallel components (4) connected between the base (2) andthe mobile platform (2′), one end of the mobile platform (2′) isconnected to the working platform (5) through triangular structuralunits (12), and the work platform (5) as the base in the triangularstructural units.
 16. A vibrator with resilience according to claim 15,characterized in that, between the supporting member (3) of one of thecomponents and the work platform (5), there is also a connectingcomponent (4′) which is in parallel with the mobile platform (2′).